Best Child Car Seat 2018

Cybex Solution Q3-Fix Review

First of all, you can put safety concerns from your mind, because the Solution Q3-Fix is absolutely on top of it. Described as “a beast of a car seat” by our tester, it’s got enhanced side impact protection around the shoulders and hips as well as extra safety pads and an adjustable headrest for kids of different ages. All car seats must adhere to safety standards, but Cybex’s tests are extensive; and we felt extremely assured of its safety.

If your car is on the small side, the Solution’s generous size could be an issue. As with any car seat, it’s worth measuring how much space you have. Cybex also have this handy feature on their website, which can tell you whether the Solution will work with your car.

Despite its size, the Solution is light — light enough for one person to lift, making it easy to transfer between cars (and the easy Isofix attachment doesn’t hurt either). The seat does require some assembly out of the box, but Cybex’s instructions are easy to follow and we had it up and running in a matter of minutes. As a bonus, kids can easily strap themselves in, although you might want to check they’ve done it correctly the first few times.

In terms of adjustability, the Solution Q3-Fix is second to none. Its shape is impressively customisable, and you can easily adjust the sides and back to achieve the perfect fit. The head tilt is particularly great, so if your child likes to snooze on the go, the Solution has you covered. And it’s not just the shape that’s comfortable; the air-ventilated fabric feels luxuriously soft, and makes sure the seat is warm in winter and cool in summer. Our mini-testers loved the Solution for comfort, even the ones who usually objected to using a car seat.

Having said that, it’s safe to say the throne-like Solution Q3-Fix makes a statement — so if your child feels embarrassed to still be using a car seat, you may be better off with something a little more subtle-looking. We tested it in the orange and beige design, whose luminosity we actually found a bit much. The black and grey ones look like they’d stay looking smart for longer, and less likely to blind you in the rearview mirror.

Let's talk money

At just under £200, the Solution isn’t the cheapest car seat out there. But a child car seat has to last six years, and we think the price is reasonable for a product that does so much more. The seat feels luxuriously comfortable and is proven to be ultra-safe; the design is impeccable, even if some of the colour options are a bit out there.